I’m a massive fan of The Great British Bake Off (or The Great British Baking Show, due to copyright issues in the US), the UK’s greatest television export of the last decade. And, if social media and my conversations with friends and family have taught me anything, pretty much everyone else is, too. But, as the pandemic enters its late stages, I suspect that you, like so many of us, have run out of new, feel-good TV to watch. You’ve burned through all the Bake Off Netflix has on offer, you’ve seen Making It, the NBC crafting show that has a similar sensibility to our favorite baking show, and you’re desperate for something calm, kind, and hopeful to binge watch as Spring slowly turns to Summer. If that’s the case, then The Great Pottery Throw Down is absolutely for you.
I’ll be honest: The structure of Throw Down is nearly identical to Bake Off (it does, after all, come from the same production team). A group of contestants meet-up in an appropriately English location (for Throw Down, it’s Stoke-on-Trent, the location where English pottery took off centuries ago), are presented with three tasks per episode (a “Main Make” which they craft over the course of 5-6 days, a “Spot Test” which is usually judged blind, and a “Throw Down” which is a timed task that is demonstrated to them and which they are then expected to complete), and at the end of each episode one potter is named the top for that week and one is sent home. There are even two judges – Kate Malone (who is replaced after two seasons by Sue Pryk) and Keith Brymer Jones. Now, even though there are two judges, I wouldn’t say their style aligns with the Bake Off duos. Both are necessarily serious about their commentary – and don’t coddle the potters – but Brymer Jones is utterly charming and steals the show with his penchant for breaking down into tears upon witnessing truly exceptional work (or when a potter overcomes adversity to turn in a strong piece of work). I swear, it comes across as truly moving and a lovely moment, and not cloyingly saccharine.
But what makes Throw Down truly work is the same thing that has made Bake Off into an international phenomenon: Ordinary people creating extraordinary things – while continuing to support one another whenever necessary. The winner doesn’t receive money or fame, they simply get a trophy and the knowledge that they were the Top Potter. The real joy is found in watching the contestants grow over the weeks – learning new skills, overcoming adversity, and forging friendships with their fellow contestants. When Brymer Jones tears up, noting that a contestant managed to achieve something exceptional – often after struggling greatly to get to that point – you also start to feel emotional. And what makes the work completed on Throw Down a tad more interesting than Bake Off? While most people could, if pressed, bake a loaf of bread or create a cake, I can’t imagine having the talent or skill necessary to complete some of the pottery pieces created by these contestants. Because they aren’t just making tea cups or plates. Oh no. They are making insanely complex pottery item: sinks, toilets, clocks.
It’s the scale and quality of the creations (yes, sometimes it’s just a tea set – all 16 pieces of it) that boggles the mind. And the temperamental nature of the pottery process creates even more tension than you’ll get in the most complex Bake Off bakes. Not only do the potters have to throw or hand build the initial piece out of clay, they also must let it dry in a drying room for several hours to several days, decorate it (with paints or oxides that will change in color after they are fired), and then put the piece into the oven to be fired for hours on end. Only then, after several days, will their final piece be revealed to them. And the smallest inconsistency can lead to a large scale failure. Attach a wet clay handle to a dry clay cup? Well, it could crack once it’s fired. Didn’t get all the glaze off the bottom of a plate? It might stick to the shelf in the oven and crack when removed. Not put enough oxide on the surface before firing? It won’t show up in the end. Bad weather while using the outside oven? It could ruin the coloring on the entire set of items. Just as the potters aren’t sure what their final creation will look like, the audience awaits the final reveal on pins and needles as well.
The Great Pottery Throw Down is the perfect series for someone looking for a nice, uplifting series to binge. The contestants are charming, the judges are smart and fair (something Bake Off has been slipping on lately), and the talent displayed is exquisite. It’s become by go-to series at the end of a long day – a chance to relax and be amazed at the creations these ordinary Brits can put together. I highly recommend it.
The Great Pottery Throw Down is currently streaming on HBO Max. There are four seasons available.
